A 1989 Pictureback edition. Copyright ©1972, 1978 by Richard Scarry.All rights reserved under International and Pan-American CopyrightConventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., NewYork, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited,Toronto. Originally published in different form in Richard Scarry’sFunniest Storybook Ever in 1972 and in Richard Scarry’s Bedtime Storiesin 1978. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Scarry,Richard. Richard Scarry’s Bedtime stories. (A Random House pictureback)SUMMARY: A collection of five stories featuring familiar characters such asLowly Worm and Uncle Willy. 1. Children’s stories, American. [1. Shortstories] I. Title. II. Title: Bedtime stories. PZ7.S327Bam 1986 [E] 86-484eISBN: 978-0-307-97476-1

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Uncle Willy and the Pirates

Not a soul dared to go sailing. Do youknow why?

There was a wicked band of pirates about,and they would steal anything they could gettheir hands on!

But Uncle Willy wasn’t afraid. “They won’tbother me,” he said.

He dropped his anchor near a desertedisland. Aunty Pastry had baked him a pie forhis lunch.

“I think I will have a little nap before I eatmy pie,” said Uncle Willy to himself.

Uncle Willy went to sleep. B-z-z-z-z-z. Whatis THAT I see climbing on board? A PIRATE! Andanother! And another?

PIRATES, UNCLE WILLY!

Uncle Willy couldn’t do a thing. Therewere just too many pirates.

First, they put Uncle Willy on the desertedisland. Then they started to eat his pie.

“M-m-m! DEE-licious!” they all said.

Uncle Willy was furious. He didn’t care somuch about the pie. But he needed his boat toget home again.

Then he had an idea. He gathered somebranches, some sea shells, and some longbeach grass. He wove the beach grass into akind of cloth.

He tied some sea shells onto the branchesand made a ferocious-looking mouth.

He tied the grass cloth onto the mouth,then attached some sea-shell eyes. By the timehe tied on a spiky palm leaf, he had made aferocious MONSTER!

Uncle Willy got inside. He was now “UncleWilly, THE FEROCIOUS MONSTER.” Look out, youpirates!

The Ferocious Monster swam out to theboat. The pirates were terrified. They all raninto the cabin.

The Ferocious Monster closed the doorbehind them—and locked it. The Monster hadcaptured the wicked pirates! Then he sailedback home.

Aunty Pastry was on the dock. “There is ahorrible Monster coming!” she cried. “He iseven worse than the pirates!”

Uncle Willy took off his monster suit.Everyone said, “Thank goodness it was onlyyou!”

Sergeant Murphy took the pirates away tobe punished.

Well … Uncle Willy had made the seas safeto sail on again. Hurray for Uncle Willy—THEFEROCIOUS MONSTER!!!

Sergeant Murphy and the BananaThief

Sergeant Murphy was busy putting parkingtickets on cars when, suddenly, who shouldcome running out of the market but BananasGorilla. He had stolen a bunch of bananas andwas trying to escape.

Murphy! LOOK! He is stealing yourmotorcycle, too!

Sergeant Murphy was furious.Huckle and Lowly Worm had been

watching. Huckle said, “You may borrow mytricycle to chase after him if you want to.”

Away they went … chasing after thatnaughty thief.

They raced through the crowded streets.Don’t YOU ever ride your tricycle in the

street!

They crossed a drawbridge just as it wasopening to let a boat go through.

Bananas stopped suddenly and went into arestaurant.

Murphy said to Louie, the owner, “I amlooking for a thief!” Together, they searchedthe whole restaurant. But they couldn’t findBananas anywhere.

Louie then said, “Sit down and relax,Murphy. I will bring you and your friendssomething delicious to eat.”

Somebody had better pick up those bananapeels before someone slips on one. Don’t youthink so?

Louie brought them a bowl of bananasoup. Lowly said, “I’ll bet Bananas Gorillawould like to be here right now.”

“Huckle, we mustn’t forget to wash ourhands before eating,” said Sergeant Murphy. Sothey walked back to the washroom. Lowlywent along, too.

When they came back, they discovered thattheir table had disappeared.

Indeed, it was slowly creepingaway … when it slipped on a banana peel!And guess who was hiding underneath.

Sergeant Murphy, we are very proud ofyou! Bananas must be punished. Someday hehas to learn that it is naughty to steal things.

Ma Pig’s New Car

Pa Pig bought a new car for Ma Pig. Shewill certainly be surprised when she sees hernew car, won’t she?

On the way home, Pa stopped at adrugstore.

When he came out, he got into a jeep bymistake. (You should be wearing your glasses,Pa Pig!) Harry and Sally thought that Pa hadswapped cars with a soldier.

Then Pa went to the market. When hecame out, he got into a police car.

“You made a good swap, Daddy,” saidHarry. But Pa wasn’t listening … and he didn’tseem to be thinking very well either. Don’t youagree?

Next Pa drove to a fruit stand to buy someapples.

When he left he took Farmer Fox’s tractor.My, but Pa is absent-minded, isn’t he?

“Ma will certainly like her new tractor,”said Sally to Harry.

They stopped to watch a fire.When the fire was out they left—in the fire

engine! How can anyone make so manymistakes?

Then they stopped to watch some workerswho were digging a big hole in the ground.No! Pa did NOT get into that dump truck.

But by mistake, he got into …

… Roger Rhino’s power shovel!Ma Pig was certainly surprised to see her

new CAR! But Pa! Do you know how to stop it?

Yes, he did!

Oh, oh! Here comes Roger now. He hasfound Ma Pig’s new car and is bringing it toher. It looks as though he is very angry withthat someone who took his power shovel.

ROGER! PLEASE BE CAREFUL! You are squeezingMa’s little car just a little bit too tightly.

Well, let’s all hope that Pa Pig will neveragain make that many mistakes in one day!

The Three Fishermen

Lowly, Huckle, and Daddy were goingfishing.

Their little motorboat took them far awayfrom shore.

Daddy said, “Throw out the anchor,Lowly.” Lowly threw the anchor out … andhimself with it!

Lowly climbed back in and Daddy began tofish.

Daddy caught an old bicycle. But he didn’twant an old bicycle. He wanted a fish.

Suddenly Huckle fell overboard. Wouldn’tyou know that something like that wouldhappen?

Daddy pulled Huckle out. Why, look there!Huckle caught a fish in his pants!

Daddy fished some more. But he couldn’tcatch anything. He was disgusted.

“Let’s go home,” he said. “There just aren’tany fish down there.”

As Daddy was getting out of the boat, heslipped … and fell! Oh, boy! Is he ever madnow!

But why is he yelling so loudly?

Aha! I see! A fish was biting his tail. Thefish was trying to catch Daddy. It is good thatDaddy has a strong tail. Now Lowly is the onlyone who hasn’t caught …

But look! Lowly has taken off his hat. Doyou see what is under it? A FISH!

Very good, Lowly.

Yes, there you see three very goodfishermen!

The Unlucky Day

Mr. Raccoon opened his eyes. “Wake up,Mamma,” he said. “It looks like a good day.”

He turned on the water. The faucet brokeoff.

“I’d better call Mr. Fixit,” he said.

He sat down to breakfast. He burned histoast. Mamma burned the bacon.

Mamma asked him to bring home food forsupper. As he was leaving, the door fell off itshinges.

Driving down the road, Mr. Raccoon had aflat tire.

While he was fixing it, his pants ripped.

He started again. His car motor explodedand wouldn’t go any farther.

He decided to walk. The wind blew his hataway. Bye-bye, hat!

“I must try to be more careful,” thought Mr.Raccoon. “This is turning into a bad day.”

His friend Warty Wart Hog came up behindhim and patted him on the back. Warty! Don’tpat so hard!

“Let’s go to a restaurant for lunch,” saidWarty.

Warty ate and ate and ate. Have you everseen such bad manners? Take off your hat,Warty!

Warty left without paying for his food. Mr.Raccoon had to pay for it. Just look at all theplates that Warty used!

Mr. Raccoon wondered, “What other badthings can happen to me today?”

Well … for one thing, the tablecloth couldcatch on his belt buckle!

“Don’t you ever come in here again!” thewaiter shouted.

“I think I had better get home as quickly aspossible,” thought Mr. Raccoon. “I don’t wantto get into any more trouble.”

He arrived home just as Mr. Fixit wasleaving. Mr. Fixit had spent the entire dayfinding new leaks.

“I will come back tomorrow to fix theleaks,” said Mr. Fixit.

Mrs. Raccoon asked her husband if he hadbrought home the food she had asked for. Shewanted to cook something hot for supper.

Of course Mr. Raccoon hadn’t, so they hadto eat cold pickles for supper.

After supper they went upstairs to bed.“There isn’t another unlucky thing that can

happen to me today,” said Mr. Raccoon as hegot into bed. Oh, dear! His bed broke!

I do hope that Mr. Raccoon will have abetter day tomorrow, don’t you?